Stool and seat



(No Model.) r 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. HOLDEN.

W STOOL AND SEAT. W No. 335,927. Patented Feb. 9. 1886.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '2.

W. HOLDEN.

STOOL AND SEAT. No. 335,927. 7 Patented Feb. 9, 1886.

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STOOL AND SEAT.

SFECIFICATION forming part 01 Letters Patent No, 335,927, dated February9. 1886.

Application filed-November 27, 1885. Serial No. 181,041.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HOLDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baldwinsville, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stools andChairs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a stool, chair, oranalogous article of household furniture in which the seat portion iscapable of being raised and lowered relative to the base or bodyportion, such adjustment of the seat being effected with ease andcelerity, and the various parts being locked and unlocked in position inan automatic manner by a simple manipulation of the seat portion, andwithout the necessity of operating the fastening devices by the hands ofthe operator.

The invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with a base orbody frame, of a supplementary frame hinged at one side of thebase-frame, and having the seat-frame proper hinged to its other side.Rack surfaces formed on or applied to the end pieces of the baseframeengage with pivoted pawl plates or props depending from the ends of theseatframe proper, and forced against the racksurfaces by the action ofsprings. The seat is raised by maintaining it in a level position anddrawing it upward, the pawl-plates engaging automatically with therack-surfaces on the base-frame to prevent the seat from dropping. Inorder to lower the seat, it is tilted relatively to the supplementaryframe to which it is hinged, which will cause the pawl-plates to beautomatically released from the racksurfaces on the base-frame and allow(No model.)

allow it to be lowered. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional viewshowing the seat and supplementary hinged frame in a raised position.

I have in the present instance shown my invention applied to that classof pianostools known as ottoman stools; but I desire it to be understoodthat it is capable of being applied to various types of stools, chairs,and settees. Furthermore, the invention is ap plicable to drawing andother tables having tops that require to be raised and lowered.

The reference-mimeral 1 designates the base-frame, which is mounted uponthe tops of four legs, 2, two of which are shown in the drawings. Thisframe or base portion may be of any desired form and material. In thepresent instance it is made rectangular, or

has two end and two side panels or boards. On the inner surfaces ofthese end boards or panels I form rack-surfaces or a series ofstepshaped projections or ribs, 3. These racksurfaces run horizontallyand occupy the en tire height of the end boards, as is clearly shown inFig. 3.

Instead of forming the racksurfaces 011 the end boards of the baseframeI may attach separate rack-plates to the boards of the same or othermaterial than the boards. A supplementary frame, 5, of the same shape asthe base frame 1, is, by means of hinges 6, connected with one of thesides of said baseframe, and this supplementary frame is lo catedentirely within the base frame, the hinges being applied to the innersurface of the side panel of the base-frame. At the side of thesupplementary frame opposite to its point of connection with thebase-frame I la cate other hinges, 8, which serve to connect aseat-frame proper (marked 10) with said supplementary frame, theseat-frame having a block, 10, for making the connection with thesupplementary frame in such a way that one side of said frame is carriedbelow a horizontal line and the lateral motion of the seat is lessenedin raising and lowering.

The seat-frame is of any desired pattern, and is upholstered or coveredin any suitable manner.

To the under side of the seat-frame I apply depending boards or plates12, serving as props curved surfaces of the racks.

or seat-supports. These plates or boards are connected with saidseat-frame by hinges 13, so that they are free to swing or vibratebetween the ends of the base-frame and the end bars of the supplementaryframe. These plates 12 are a little shorter than the end panels of thebase-frame, and have a continuous rib or toe, 12 formed on their loweredges, which ribs or toes engage with the rack-surfaces on thebase-frame, and serve to hold the seatframe in the various positions inwhich it may be placed. The plates 12 are held in firm ongagement withthe rack-surfaces by means of springs 15, applied to the under side ofthe seat-frame and bearing against the plates 12. As shown in thedrawings, these springs are of a coiled form, having their upper endssecured to blocks 16 on the seat-frame, and their vertical arms or freeends entered into keepers on the plates 12. Other suitable forms ofsprings may, however, be employed, and in place of the chains 17,connected with the seat and base frames, for limiting the upwardmovement of the seat-frame, I may resort to any other appropriate stopdevices. The functions of the chains or other stop devices are toprevent the raising of the seat too high and allow it to be tipped fromeither side to let it off while on the top notch of the rack-surface.The spring-pressed props or pawl-plates are generally sufficient to holdthe seat in the proper positions; but it is also proposed to employ alocking device for locking the seat at any desired height.

The operation of the parts is as follows: To raise the seat, it is heldlevel and drawn up to the required height, the props or pawlplatesslipping automatically over the rack-surfaces and holding the seatwherever it is left. To lower the seat, one side thereof is tipped, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3, thereby causing the beveled surfaces of the ribs12 to ride over and become disengaged from the corresponding The plates12 are thus forced inward against the pressure of the springs,and theribs 12 are made to occupy a position diagonally across therack-surfaces 3 and disengaged therefrom. The seat can now be lowered toany position desired, or it willfall of its own weight to itslowestposition, resting directly upon the base-frame, the ribs 12 ridingdiagonally over the rack-surfaces so long as the seat is held in atipped or diagonal position. WVhile the seat is in a horizontalposition, however, it is not liable to fall under downward pressurethereon, the ribs 12 and rack-surfaces 3 being then engaged in such amanner as to afford an adequate support.

It is obvious thatastool or chair constructed and operating as describedcan be cheaply and strongly made, and is direct and" automaticin itsaction, it not being necessary to directly manipulate or set the lockingdevices by hand in order to allow the required adjustments to be made.

In lieu of the chains 17 for limiting the upward movement of theseat-frame, I may employ the device shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,which consists of two looped wires engaging with each other, the ends ofone of said loops being secured to the under side of the seatframe andthe ends of the other to a strip of wood secured to the under side ofthe railso the lower frame.

1. The combination of the base-frame having rack-surfaces on its endwalls and the supplementary frame pivoted to one side of said baseframe,with the seat-frame hinged to the free end of the supplementary frameand having pivoted pawl-plates or props engaging with the rack-surfaceson the end walls of the baseframe, substantially as described.

2. The combination of'the base-frame having rack-surfaces on theinnersides of its end walls, the'supplementary frame hinged to one sideof said base-frame, and the seat-frame hinged to the opposite side ofthe supplementary frame and having hinged to each end a dependingspring-pressed pawlplate, substantially as de scribed.

3. The combination ofabase-frame provided at its ends withrack-surfaces, asupplementary frame hinged to one side of saidbase-frame, a seat-frame hinged to the opposite side of thesupplementary frame, depending pawl-plates hinged to the ends of theseat-frame, springs attached to the under side of the seat-frame andpressing against the under sides of the pawl-plates, and means forlimiting the upward movement of the seat-frame, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

"WILLIAM HOLDEN. lVitnesses:

FRANKLIN I. BLAKE, JOHN Know.

